1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power source system for a small boat equipped with a lanyard switch capable of turning OFF a power source in case of an emergency by connecting to an occupant by a wire of the lanyard. The power source system supplies power to and controls a fuel injection system and other accessories of the boat.
2. Description of Background Art
One example of a power source system for a small boat is described in Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 9-169298, xe2x80x9cStarting System for Small Shipxe2x80x9d.
According, to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the official gazette describing this system, a gauge panel 6 is provided with control means E, the gauge panel 6 is provided with a meter 61 such as a speedometer and a tachometer. Also provided are a stop watch and a display unit 620 for displaying navigation time. A power source is connected to a gauge panel 6 through all ON/OFF switch 66 and a starter motor 68 is connected through a relay 67. By inputting a secret number, the starter motor 68 is caused to rotate. Operating means 62 for starting an engine 5 is provided for the gauge panel 6; and a mode change-over button 610 for switching the display unit 620 is provided on the gauge panel 6.
A starting system for the above-described small ship is a power source system only for rotating a starting motor 67 by a gauge panel 6 equipped with control means E for starting the engine 5.
However, the small ship has a plurality of accessories, such as a main switch with a lanyard switch and the fuel injection system. Thus, this conventional system could be improved by having a control unit (display control unit) as the gauge panel 6 capable of collectively controlling the main switch with a lanyard switch and the power source to be supplied to the accessories.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a power source system for a small boat capable of collectively controlling the state of the main switch with the lanyard switch and the power source to be supplied to the accessories by the control unit (display control unit).
In order to achieve the above-described object, in a first aspect of the present invention, a power source system is provided for a small boat equipped with a main switch with a lanyard switch capable of turning OFF power source in case of an emergency by connecting to an occupant by wire. The power source supplies power to a control unit (ECU) for control accessories and an engine of the boat. The power source system is equipped with a main relay for turning ON/OFF power source to be supplied to the accessories and a control unit (display control unit) connected in parallel to the main switch in order to control the main relay. An ON/OFF state of the main switch is monitored by the control unit (display control unit) to control the ON/OFF state of the main relay on the basis of the ON/OFF state of the main switch.
In order to turn ON/OFF power source to be supplied to a control unit (ECU) and the like for controlling the accessories and the engine, a main relay is provided. In order to control this main relay, a control unit (display control unit) is connected in parallel to the main switch. An ON/OFF state of the main switch is monitored by the control unit (display control unit), and the main relay is turned ON/OFF on the basis of the ON/OFF state, whereby ON/OFF of the power source to be supplied to the control unit (ECU) for controlling the accessories and the engine is collectively controlled. As a result, the power source system can be simplified.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the main switch shifts from an ON-state to an OFF-state, the main relay is instantaneously switched from ON to OFF, and the control unit (display control unit) maintains the ON-state in the OFF-state of the main switch during a predetermined time period.
For example, when starting up the power source, the control unit (display control unit) often subjects the display device and the accessories to fault diagnosis and the like. Therefore, when the power source for the control unit (display control unit) is carelessly dropped, it takes time to start Up the control unit (display control unit).
Thus, in the OFF-state of the main switch during a predetermined time period, the control unit (display control unit) maintains the ON-state, whereby the main switch is switched to the OFF-state, the main relay is instantaneously switched to OFF, and the supply of power source to the accessories and the like including the fuel injection system is stopped to temporarily stop the small boat. Since in this temporarily stopped state, the control unit (display control unit) can maintain the started-up state, the small boat call shift from the temporarily stopped state to a navigable state in a short time. As a result, the convenience of the small boat can be improved.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the control unit (display control unit) is provided with a theft prevention function. When information for turning OFF the main relay is outputted from the control unit (display control unit), a stop signal for stopping the engine is caused to be outputted to the control unit (ECU) for controlling the engine on the basis of this OFF information.
When information for turning OFF the main relay is outputted from the control unit (display control unit), a stop signal for stopping the engine is caused to be outputted to the control unit (ECU) for controlling the engine on the basis of this OFF information. Thus, even when, for example, the main relay has been directly coupled, there is no possibility that the engine will start. Therefore, the small boat can be prevented from being stolen.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the main switch shifts from the ON-state to the OFF-state, the control unit (display control unit) instantaneously outputs a stop signal to the control unit (ECU), and that the engine is stopped by the control unit (ECU) on the basis of this stop signal. In addition, when the OFF-state of the main switch is within a predetermined time period, the control unit (display control unit) maintains the ON-state of the main relay.
When, for example, the main relay is turned OFF, the control unit (ECU) for controlling the engine is also often turned OFF. When starting up the power source, the control unit (ECU) may subject the display device and the accessories to fault diagnosis and the like in the same manner as the control unit (display control unit), and when the power source for the control unit (ECU) is turned OFF, it takes time for the small boat to shift to a navigable state.
More specifically, even when the engine is stopped to temporarily stop the small boat, the ON-state of the main relay is caused to be maintained if the OFF-state of the main switch is within a predetermined time period, whereby it is possible to shift from the temporarily stopped state to a navigable state in a short time.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the control unit (display control unit) is an component part of a display device for displaying operation information of the small boat or boat hull information. After a lapse of a predetermined time period since the main switch shifts from the ON-state to the OFF-state, both the control unit (display control unit) and the main relay are switched from the ON-state to the OFF-state at the same time.
When the control unit (display control unit) is a component part of a display device for displaying operation information of the small boat or boat hull information of the small boat, both the control unit (display control unit) and the main relay are switched from the ON-state to the OFF-state at the same time. As a result, the state of the main relay can be grasped by the display function of the control unit (display control unit). Thus, the operator convenience can be improved.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.